Arun Misra announces for Johns Creek City Council post

Retired businessman wants to give back to community

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Ammersee Lakes resident Arun Misra, Ph.D., has announced his candidacy for one of the open seats on the Johns Creek City Council. He said he will decide which seat at the end of qualifying March 5.

Misra retired from a 20-year career as a research scientist and college professor and a second career of 25 years in real estate and insurance sales. Now, he wants to give back to his city of 15 years and run for council.

“I want to apply this knowledge and skills for the improvement of the quality of life for the citizens of Johns Creek, and to see that the city grows further and attracts quality people and businesses into its limits,” Misra said.

That begins with making the city itself more attractive with better streetscapes.

“We don’t have a post office, we don’t have a big mall where we can shop. We don’t even have our own ZIP code. We don’t have these things, and it hurts the city not to have them,” he said.

Another reason for his campaign is to make minorities and immigrants more politically aware and involved.

“I come to all the City Council meetings, and I do not see people from minority backgrounds attending,” Misra said. “We have so many moving here from foreign countries, especially from China and India, and I do not see them participating.

“I go to every meeting at the Johns Creek Community Association, Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce, and I don’t see them there. We have so many here who are affluent and not involved in civic life,” he said.

He would advocate for more international programs for the international community in Johns Creek – on their customs and religion.

“That will make them feel more welcome. Then we can recruit them to participate more in community life. I have done some programs for the Indian and Korean communities at the Spruill Oaks Library,” he said.

Misra says they should take steps to become more involved, but it helps if they receive an invitation.

He also supports the economic development efforts of the Chamber of Commerce and Johns Creek Advantage to improve the city tax digest. The city’s commercial spaces are underused, Misra said.

Another major goal of the city should be to attract a college or university campus within Johns Creek. This would improve the quality of life in the city. Another longer range project should be a cultural arts center. The city has an arts center and an orchestra, but these are in private or rented facilities.

“We want to create opportunities for people to not only live here but work here and enjoy life here,” Misra said.